Men allegedly moved meth through Juneau County

A Necedah man and Birnamwood man face drug charges after allegedly transporting methamphetamine in with intent to sell.

James Newton, 35, and Nou Ong Yang, 24 are charged with possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. They face up to fifteen years imprisonment for the crime.

According to the criminal complaint:

On Dec. 4, a Wisconsin state trooper was making a traffic stop on I-90/94 when he observed “a dark color Dodge Neon… with a very loud exhaust.”

The trooper cleared the traffic stop and caught up to the Dodge Neon in his vehicle. The trooper determined that the exhaust on the Neon looked to have an after-market attachment. After running the Wisconsin license plate on the vehicle, the records check of the registration showed the male registered owner had a warrant and the female registered owner had a revoked driving status.

The trooper activated the emergency lights of his vehicle. The Neon did not initially acknowledge the emergency lights or pull over, but eventually came to a stop on the right shoulder of the interstate.

The trooper reported after exiting his vehicle, the Neon’s engine “began to rev up,” and “sounded as though the driver had the vehicle in park or neutral and their foot on the accelerator.” The trooper advised law enforcement dispatch to send an additional patrol vehicle.

The trooper advised the passenger of the Neon to roll down the window, but the passenger did not comply. Upon opening the passenger side door, the trooper was informed by the passenger that the window did not roll down.

The driver stated he was not the owner of the vehicle and it belonged to his “buddy.” The trooper asked to see his driver’s license, but the driver stated he did not have a valid driver’s license. He handed the officer a Minnesota ID card instead, and was identified as Nou Ong Yang. The trooper reported “his hand noticeably shook and he did not make eye contact with me while we spoke.”

The passenger showed the trooper a Wisconsin driver’s license and was identified as James Robert Newton.

Newton and Yang were unable to provide proof of insurance for the vehicle. They stated they were coming back from court in Dane county, and visiting Yang’s girlfriend in Gailsville.

The trooper reported both Yang and Newton appeared “very nervous.” Neither of them maintained eye contact with him and were “visibly shaking while seated.” The trooper requested dispatch run criminal background checks on both individuals. Nou was determined to have revoked driving status on his Minnesota ID card. Both Yang and Newton were determined to have prior drug convictions.

An additional state trooper, Juneau County Sheriff’s deputies and a New Lisbon police officer arrived on scene. The New Lisbon police officer performed a check on the vehicle with his K9 partner. The K9 alerted to the vehicle.

While searching the individuals, officers found a “glass smoking pipe” in Newton’s shoe. No items of evidentiary significance were found on Yang.

Upon searching the vehicle, officers found the following: “A clear plastic baggy containing a large amount of small orange plastic baggies; two small orange plastic baggies”, one “containing a crushed crystalline substance”, the other “containing a crushed and chunk crystalline substance”, and “a black scale that was covered in white crystalline powder.” The evidence was secured and processed. The substances tested positive for Methamphetamine.

Newton was transported to the Juneau County Jail and later released on three cash bonds of $300. Both Yang and Newton are scheduled to have their initial appearance in court Dec. 20.